1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a head restraint for a seat assembly in an automotive vehicle, and more particularly, to a pivot latch for allowing the head restraint to fold into the occupant seating area to clear a driver""s rearward visibility.
2. Description of Related Art
Automotive vehicles typically include front and rear seat assemblies arranged in rows for supporting occupants within the vehicle. Each seat assembly includes a seat cushion and a seat back for supporting the back of an occupant seated on the seat cushion. A seat assembly commonly includes a head restraint mounted on the seat back for supporting the head of the occupant.
A growing number of countries are requiring vehicle manufacturers to produce seats with increased seat back heights to provide increased protection against whiplash. However, increasing the height of seat backs in rear seat assemblies results in reduced, or otherwise obstructed, rearward visibility for front seat occupants, more particularly, for the driver.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a head restraint pivot latch coupled between the seat back and head restraint for allowing selective locking of the head restraint between an upright use position and a folded position to improve rearward visibility for the driver when the seats are not in use.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a latch for allowing selective pivotal adjustment of a head restraint relative to a seat back. The latch comprises a base member supporting the head restraint and pivotally assembled to the seat back allowing movement of the head restraint between a use position and a folded position. A first bracket is fixedly secured to the base member and includes an index slot for defining the use position of the head restraint. A second bracket having a locking slot defining the use position of the head restraint extends between a proximal end pivotally assembled to the base member and a distal end adapted to be fixedly secured to the seat back. A release member having a tang is operatively assembled to the base member for movement between an unreleased position, with the tang extending through both the index slot of the first bracket and the locking slot of the second bracket to maintain the head restraint in the use position, and a released position wherein the tang is disengaged with the locking slot to allow pivotal adjustment of the head restraint between the use position and the folded position.